Spiritual Story: Crossing the Water

By Ramakrishan ParamhansaThere was a milkman and his daughter. His daughter’s duty was to carry fresh milk to customers in various villages. One of the customers was a Priest. To reach Priest’s house, the milkmaid had to cross a good-sized stream. People used to cross it by a ferry raft for a small charge.

The Priest used to perform daily Puja and offer fesh milk to God. One day that milkmaid got late. On this priest scolded the poor girl.

"What can I do?" she said. "I start out early from my house, but I have to wait a long time for the boatman to come."

Then the priest said (pretending to be serious) "What! People have even walked across the ocean by repeating the name of God and you can't even cross this little river?" This milkmaid took him very seriously.

From then onwards, she brought milk for the priest punctually every morning. The priest became curious about it and asked her how it was that she was never late anymore.

"I cross the river repeating the name of the Lord," she replied. "Just as you told me to do, without waiting for the ferry." The priest didn't believe her, and asked "Can you show me this, how you cross the river on foot?"

So they went together to the river and the milkmaid began to walk over it.

Looking back, the woman saw that the priest had started to follow her and was floundering in the water.

"Sir!" she cried, "You are uttering the name of God, yet all the while you are holding up your clothes from getting wet. That is not trusting in God!"